Junior cop sues Chihuri over dog's death

A junior police officer based at Ross Camp has dragged police boss Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri to court.

Sergeant Wellington Sibanda said in papers filed with the High Court in Bulawayo last week, Com Gen Chihuri unfairly dismissed his appeal against a 10-day jail term following an internal disciplinary hearing over the death of a police dog.
He cited the police chief as the respondent.

Last year Sgt Sibanda was convicted and sentenced to 10 days imprisonment at ZRP Fairbridge detention barracks in connection with the death of a police dog.

The police dog called Sting was reportedly bitten to death by other dogs after straying from its kernel.

The police accused Sgt Sibanda of negligence, saying he watched without taking action as the other dogs tore up Sting.

Sgt Sibanda was charged for failing to save the dog.

According to the court papers Sgt Sibanda accuses the trial officer a Superintendent N Ndlovu of ZRP Bulawayo Provincial Headquarters, of bias, arguing that the matter was not handled in a fair and transparent manner.

He appealed to Com Gen Chihuri against the disciplinary action and sentence but the chief of police dismissed his plea.

Sgt Sibanda is asking the court to force Com Gen Chihuri to review of the disciplinary proceedings of the case which was presided over by Superintendent N Ndlovu on 12 November 2014.
He said he appeared before a single board facing a charge of performing duty in an improper manner.

Sgt Sibanda said the trial officer found that all procedures had been followed, but found him guilty of failing to hear a dog fight which allegedly led to the death of Sting.

He alleged there were gross irregularities in the proceedings saying there was no evidence to prove that the dog was attacked in his presence.
Sgt Sibanda said his superiors were of inept bullies.

"I consider it unfair for junior officers like me to be severely punished like this for something that my seniors could have prevented by merely repairing the fence. I do not believe that junior officers should continue to suffer due to ineptitude of seniors," Sibanda said.
He said Chihuri did not consider the serious irregularities when he dismissed the appeal.